Ron Freeland from MdTA to TY Lin PERSONNEL

Ron Freeland executive secretary of the Maryland (Toll) Transportation Authority (MdTA) for nearly the past four years is joining the engineering firm TY Lin as mid-Atlantic director. Freeland, a quietly spoken man seems to have a talent for defusing conflict and remaining amazingly uncontroversial (and a bore for reporters) during controversies.

At the same time some interesting projects have moved forward in Freeland's period in charge - major ones being the Inter County Connector tollroad in Montgomery County north of DC, and toll lanes on I-95 north of Baltimore.

Freeland was a Democrat appointee in 2007 and the next governor, likely a Republican come November, will probably want to make the appointment of Freeland's successor.

Deputy secretary of transportation Harold Bartlett is replacing Freeland on an interim basis.